VELLORE: A tribal woman delivered a baby on an under-construction ghat road in Vellore district on her way to the hospital on Thursday. Both the baby and mother were saved without any complications as a team of doctors reached the spot on time to attend them.
Sruthi, a resident of Gurumalai, falling under Anaicut taluk, developed labour pain on Wednesday, and was immediately by her relatives to reach the primary health centre (PHC) located at Usoor, down the plains. They also alerted the doctors of her condition.
Soon, a medical team led by block medical officer (BMO) Dr V Sasikumar and assistant BMO Dr Durga, rushed towards the hills on the ghat road. Minutes before the team arrived, the woman delivered the baby. The doctors performed post-delivery procedures so that the mother and baby could be saved without any problems.
“We could reach on time to attend to the woman, despite riding our vehicle on the difficult terrain. We performed post-delivery procedures immediately,” Dr Sasikumar told Express on Thursday.
Later, Sruthi and the baby were taken to the PHC in Usoor where they were admitted.
“Our aim was to attend to the distress call, ignoring the risks in driving a vehicle on the bumpy road,” noted Sasikumar, who was on the wheels, as the available driver was inexperienced to move on the ghat road.
It was in pathetic conditions the woman gave birth to the child on the ghat road where the relatives and the medical team found any shelter to keep her. She had to lie on the road while delivering the baby, while a nurse, Sujitha, accompanying the team, holding the saline bottle on her hands.
Sources said a population of about 1000 tribals is habitating atop Gurumalai which has not got proper road connectivity to the plains. Construction of road was recently started on the ghat but had not been completed.
Lack of transportation forces the tribals carry people on doly during exigencies.